A paver assembly, typically composed of stone, ceramic, or concrete pavers, is commonly used for exterior hardscaping applications. Paver assemblies can be used for a variety of purposes, such as walkways, patios, pool decks and driveways. Paver assemblies offer an alternative to plain concrete or asphalt, and offer numerous functional and aesthetic advantages. The high compressive strength of concrete paving stones offers a more durable choice compared to clay bricks or poured-in-place concrete. Clay pavers have the advantage of greater resistance to fading from the sun and deterioration from long term exposure to the elements. The wide variety of shapes, colors, and designs available for pavers can produce a very appealing surface.
Pedestal systems used to elevate, level, and uniformly space paver stones and other natural products are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,471 to Jones et al. describes a pedestal support system for an elevated paver deck assembly. The assembly of pavers is supported by an array of pedestal assemblies that can be set by the user to a desired height. Such a system is appropriate for elevated foot traffic or the creation of usable space on roof deck and patios, and other areas. Systems can turn difficult slopes into level surfaces and allow utilities and drains to be run under the pavers, natural stone, or other manufactured products, thus creating usable space from otherwise unusable areas. Water can move freely to allow for the health and long life of a roofing membrane, as substrate surfaces are waterproofed and protected from the elements. Pedestal systems are especially useful with patio pavers, a generic term given to describe any regular type of paver that is specifically used for the construction of an outdoor patio deck.
Current systems such as those disclosed in Jones, often use cylindrical pedestals that are placed between the paver squares, such that each pedestal is placed at the intersection of four paver squares. This placement of pedestals provides the strongest system, thereby enabling the surface to withstand the maximum weight load. While this method is ideal for supporting pavers in the middle of the patio, problems often arise with setting pavers near an elevated perimeter such as a wall or curb, for example. The cylindrical shape often makes it difficult to position a pedestal close enough to the elevated perimeter to have a significant upper surface area that supports the pavers as it cannot be positioned flush against the elevated perimeter. Additionally, when cylindrical pedestals are positioned against a wall, often the top obstructing fins of the pedestal are cut off to enable the installation. Removing the top fins of the pedestal is not ideal or generally will not work when the paver is less than 7 inches wide. When installing a narrow cut paver, install crews often substitute materials or combine various components of existing materials such as bricks to provide support for the narrow cut paver. Additionally, a traditional pedestal often cannot be placed close enough to the perimeter of the wall due to cants at the wall base and/or the cylindrical nature of the pedestal. Accordingly there is a need to provide an improved perimeter pedestal assembly and system for supporting pavers and that can be positioned closely alongside the edges of an elevated periphery, such as a wall, barrier, or curb.
Accordingly, it is the object of the teachings herein to provide a pedestal support system made up of pedestal assemblies that can be easily placed closely alongside the perimeter of a wall, curb, or barrier, and also elevate and support a plurality of pavers.